The First Bad Man

By: Miranda July

Narrated by: Miranda July

Length: 8 hrs and 5 mins

Publisher's summary

A Guardian literary highlight for 2015
A Huffington Post 'One to Watch' in 2015
An Amazon Rising Star 2015

"Astounding" (Lena Dunham, creator of Girls and author of Not That Kind of Girl)

"The First Bad Man brings together all of July's talents - it's a book that must be read, a book that must be purchased - in duplicate - one for you, one for a friend. Don't think you can loan this book - you'll never get it back" (A. M. Homes, author of This Book Will Save Your Life and May We Be Forgiven)

The first novel by the filmmaker, artist and bestselling author Miranda July confirms her as a spectacularly original, iconic, and important voice today, and a writer for all time. The First Bad Man is dazzling and unforgettable.

©2015 Miranda July (P)2015 Canongate Books Ltd

Critic reviews

"Astounding" (Lena Dunham, creator of Girls and author of Not That Kind of Girl)
"The First Bad Man brings together all of July's talents - it's a book that must be read, a book that must be purchased - in duplicate - one for you, one for a friend. Don't think you can loan this book - you'll never get it back" (A. M. Homes, author of This Book Will Save Your Life and May We Be Forgiven)

"The novel exploded my expectations and became unlike anything I've ever read...hilarious...A wry, smart companion on any day. It's warm, it has a heartbeat and a pulse. This is a book that is painfully alive." (The New York Times Book Review)

"Astounding...she will make you laugh, cringe and recognise yourself in a woman you never planned to be...Never has a novel spoken so deeply to my sexuality, my spirituality, my secret self. I know I am not alone." (Lena Dunham)

"I am in awe of Miranda July...The First Bad Man brings together all of July's talents - it's a book that must be read, a book that must be purchased - in duplicate - one for you, one for a friend. Don't think you can loan this book - you'll never get it back." (A.M. Homes, author of This Book Will Save Your Life and May Be Forgiven)

Messy, problematic and strained

The story’s treatment of a protagonist who clearly reads as neurodivergent is really jarring and not fun to read, especially as cheryl’s “quirks” are often played for cruel laughs. The book does a bad job of portraying consent, and July’s treatment of Clee is not praxis: it veers on Humbert Humbert and Lolita territory but doesn’t adding anything interesting. Basically there’s almost no character development, and it reads as a ton of dislocated one liners stitched together.

On the other hand, I’d have loved this book if I read it as a teenager. Some of its jokes are funny and there are some interesting thoughts and uses of language.